Here is the OFFICIAL Kompa Magazine song by song cd review of FIDEL's debut cd.

1) ANBIANS: Old Generation Compas "refined"....takes you back to the Scorpio days. I like the "It's Getting hot in here" part very much. The guitar at the 4:39 mark is very crisp as the song picks up steam. It is a very good cd kickoff track on the uptempo tip.

2) LOVE IS CRAZY: I love the vibe on this song. The horns at the 2:50 mark are what I call an "ear raiser" in a positive light.The keyboard at the 3:38 mark VOYE'W NAN CIEL in what KM terms "PLOGUE HEAVEN". When a song is over 6 minutes long and you as the listener don't want it to end, I think it is a very good sign. I like that "JULIET...OU FE ROMEO KRIYE TWOP" line. (Romeo & Juliet).

3) YON DENYE FWA: This is the song that we predicted would be a hit if pushed after we got a studio preview of it months ago. It could be categorized as a sequel to the System Band hit "Pa Leve Min'w Sou Li". The background vocals on this track are SICK. This is a "HIT READY" song served on a silver platter.

4) LET ME BE: I question the move of putting 3 back to back SLOW songs right after the other on the cd in terms of placement. Having said that, THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG ON THE CD. This is the song that I kept rewinding over and over. This is the song that kept preventing me from giving the other songs a chance. This track from what I gather is actually sung by RIGOR ALCINDOR....unless it's DABENZ with a different voice. I term this GEM of a song as a "P.G.P.P" (Pa Gin Pa Plogue) track. If I am getting this right, about a young man asking for freedom from his beloved Mom to let him go and become an adult to do his thing. Let him make his own decisions in life. A coming of age type of track, instead of the typical CHERI MWEN RINMIN'W track that is too common on many bands' cds these days. I rate this as a HIGH POTENTIAL HIT track. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ONE Fidel.

5) DETAY: This song reminds me a little bit of PHANTOMS as well as ZENGLEN during the 5 Dwet era. DABENZ on FULL DYOLE MODE on this one, just the way many of you like him. This is a RADIO FRIENDLY uptempo number. It should be interesting to hear this song LIVE. The "FANM JAZ LA" part should have been done/repeated more on the track.

6) AMELIORE'M: WOW...What an INTRO. Unless I am wrong, is it RIGOR on the lead vocals on this one? This track looks/sounds more on the Zoukish side of things, and happens to be PERFECT for the popular Zouk night crowd popular these days in the HMI. CLUB READY AT FULL VOLUME will let you enjoy it to the max. Another potential hit with a strong club appeal.

7) LA VIE: Is it RIGOR "again" on the lead vocals? Is he a CO-LEAD SINGER in the band? The entrance of the guitar at the 1:20 mark as well as the chorus is System Band influenced. At the 2:18 mark DABENZ comes in, so yes, it was RIGOR singing the vocals at the beginning. The background vocals excellence continues on this track....along with some great horns. This is a solid cd track, which in my opinion MIGHT get lost in the shuffle on this cd.

JUST FOR THE THING "Remix": The track is "freshened" up from what was released before. COOL TRACK that I like, but question begged to be asked is....after hearing all these tracks on the FIDEL cd, WHY was this song the one chosen to introduce the band to the world via MUSIC VIDEO? There are more worthy candidates that would have done the band MORE JUSTICE as the group's "1st" video. Having said that, it is still a cool track, but I think FIDEL dropped the ball on this one....for doing this track as the first video.

9) LELENE CHERIE: Remake of classic SHOOGAR COMBO track. The SAX at the beginning of the tracks catches your attention. BEL COMPAS with "Smooth" background vocals...but I still miss the rawness of the original that made it a classic. One of the best vocal performances by Dabenz on this cd. I think lovers of the original classic will also appreciate this one very much.

10) AVE'L LI FE'L: "PA GIN LA PRIYE KI PA GIN AMEN". I love that line from this song. A previously released track from Fidel. 1:50 mark has this crazy MIAMI MAYI MOULIN GUITAR, and in my opinion, that is when the track gets started. FIDEL took a part from an old Compas track to build the chorus for this track. I really hope that the group gave PROPER CREDIT to the band WITHOUT MAKING IT PASS AS THEIR OWN. I am going to check in the credits for that. Guitar player BEBETO shines with flying colors on this track. very very very good track.
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***I am shocked/surprised at the level delivered here by the group. I could have thought that they were going to deliver a good cd, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect them to deliver the way that they delivered here. With this cd, RIGOR ALTENOR has just written his name into the music lovers' minds as one to keep an eye on when it comes to music production. On the next studio cd, he has to prove that this one was not a fluke (stroke of luck).

*The BACKGROUND VOCALS WORK ON THIS CD ARE EXCELLENT. Very very very well put together, but on the same front, while these tracks are CD FRIENDLY (Good to listen on cd), will that have an effect on the LIVE aspect of the performance, and will the "SOFT" background vocals take away from their "punch" compas direct factor when it needs to be played live?

*RIGOR ALTENOR is the brains and master behind this project...YES I GET IT. And yes he deserves a huge amount of credit for delivering a product of that caliber. Having said that, if my assumption is correct about the number of songs that he sings UNLESS I AM MISTAKING Dabenz's voice for RIGOR, it does come across that Rigor might be trying to sell himself as a co-vocalist for the group next to Dabenz. Again, if that is not the case I apologize, but that is the way that it is coming across. Rigor is setting himself up to be in the same league as the RICHIES and ARLYS.....so can he deliver the VOCALS "Live"? A Suivre.

***FINAL SAY: I am extremely pleased with this cd actually. I am positive that a lot of people are going to be pleased with this cd as well. You can tell that the guys had a lot of inspiration that was simply boiling inside, and that is reflected in a very positive manner on this cd. It is one of the best HMI cds that I have actually heard in awhile. They are hip with new sounds and keep the compas direct identity in there, with a little touch of old generation flavor "refined", to make everyone happy. THE GROUP HAS A WINNER in their hands with this one. Now...WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH IT? A Suivre.

Nicely done Pat. I am so happy for them, especially Dabenz whom a lot of people did not take too seriously for being unstable in the HMI. I am hoping they leave all the egos behind, work together, promote this CD the right way and wait for the fruit of their hard work. I also want them to understand that due to the poor economy these days, the bands, specially the upcoming bands are suffering tremendously. It takes time to be accepted in the industry and build your own fans. But my advice to you guys, be patient. All the well established bands today were somehow unknown at one point. Hopefully you guys can work together, understand the result of this CD is not one person effort but the whole group. RESPECT each other, don't let the SUPERSTAR syndrome get in between you and trust me; you guys will be just fine.
Good job guys.
I wish you guys nothing but the best._________________Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Hey Pat! Thanks for the review and I just want to do a little rectification. Rigor Altenor only sings two songs, the first one is "Let me be and the second one is La vie the He sings the intro." I remember when they had released the last two singles to announce the release of the album, I had told everyone to keep an eye on the "Amelyore'm track" this song is sick and the keyboard solo is a mixture of "Toi Et moi of T-Vive sung by Olivier Duret and Je veux de toi of Shedly Abraham sung by Martine Marseille". Job well done by maestro RIgor and I think that's a Greta move by the guy to bring "PLMSL back with yon lot vwa" I think that's what Kenny should have done with his newest single with Jbeatz. He should have brought the "All I need with you back" with a little touch of the new flavor..._________________kompa Direct is a baby and we as fan are the Parents, we need to take care of him, so he could grow healthily.

FIRST OF ALL WHEN I SAW THEM WAY BACK IN PROSPECT STREET IN EAST ORANGE NJ AS BLAST (THE GROUP NAME) MWEN PANSE TE GEN TALAN MEN FOR SOME REASONS I DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS AND REALLY WANTED IT.
LEU YO KITE GARY E PRAN NON OXYGEN LAN I WAS LIKE DANM...
BUT WITH THEIR MOVE WITH DR VASTEY I WAS LIKE PROVE ME WRONG THAT YOU'RE SERIOUS GUYS